Association of the <i>CACNA2D1</i> gene with milk yield and milk quality traits in Holstein cattle

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the <i>rs43389227</i>, <i>rs43390124</i> and <i>rs482883241</i> single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the bovine <i>calcium channel, voltage-dependent, alpha-2/delta subunit 1</i> (<i>CACNA2D1</i>) gene with milk yield and quality traits in Holstein cattle. For this purpose, 166 Holstein dairy cows were genotyped for these three SNPs. Correlation analyses showed that the <i>rs43389227</i> SNP was associated with 305-day milk yield (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Besides, <i>rs43390124</i> SNP was found to be associated not only with 305-day milk yield but also with milk fat, milk quality traits, somatic cell score, electrical conductivity and pH (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that the <i>rs43389227</i> and <i>rs43390124</i> SNPs could be used in breeding for the improvement of milk yield and milk quality in cattle. Furthermore, based on its association with mastitis related traits, the <i>rs43390124</i> SNP was considered as a potential indicator of mastitis susceptibility.